Do You Dream of Me (Rewrite)
by MUSE-00andtheCircus
Summary: What if Yugi could sense Yami's feelings and thoughts all the time too? A rewrite of a rewrite of their adventures. Mangacentric. (Author's Note: I'm not the original writer of this work. I have gotten permission to rewrite this work from the original author. Please read the original and give credit to Laryna6)
1. Awakening

_Author's Note: I'm not the original writer of this work. I have gotten permission to rewrite this work from the original author. Please read the original and give credit to u/564370/ (Laryna6)_

* * *

"At last! I've got the final piece!" Yuugi thought excitedly. "I'm finally going to be able to complete the Millennium Puzzle! I might even get my wish." Yuugi laughed to himself before giving off a soft, disappointed sigh. "Who am I kidding? I'm just an ordinary kid. There's no such thing as magic, no matter what Grandpa says." As Yuugi's hands brushed over the etchings on the puzzle box, he muttered the translations. "'The one who solves he puzzle shall gain the powers and knowledge of darkness…' Yeah right."

"Still… Finally solving it after eight years… I have a right to be excited, but…" He looked down at the tears and the unfortunate dark stains on his uniform. He softly sighed. "It won't make a difference. Ushio will still be there in the morning. I'm still going to be his pincushion. I still don't have anyone but Anzu on my side. Yet… Something tells me this is important…"

His eyes travelled to the puzzle again. He felt hope, anticipation, and a sense of something monumental about to happen. Something that would change his life forever. The puzzle and its legend seemed to offer him everything he had ever dreamed of. Success… Friendship…

He felt a breath build up. He had been holding it for longer than he had noticed. He finally exhaled as he placed the last piece in.

* * *

It hurt.

It hurt so bad.

He ached.

He hurt all over from old wounds being reopened over and over in the struggle to free himself from the freezing chains, but nothing was colder than the shadows that surrounded him. His mouth was open, ready to scream so hard he could choke up blood, but nothing seemed to come out.

How long had it been? He had no idea. He had no time to question it as his body was in constant agony.

But then, through some miracle, the pain went away. The holes in his body closed as the chains painlessly ejected themselves. A warm, radiating light come from a far tunnel, and came closer. He was finally awake from a never-ending nightmare. As he awoke, as a glorious presence enveloped his entire being. The last thing he felt was an intangible feeling of wonder and worship, but even that turned into a cold, bitter anger.

Not at the light. No, never at the light…

* * *

Yuugi yawned and stretched in bed. "6:14? I should get up, shouldn't I? Ah, but it's so warm… I feel like I'm… still asleep…"

A sudden cold rush of wind hit Yuugi right then and there, causing the young boy to jump. Now, sufficiently awake from the cold, noticed his blanket had been kicked off during the night, and the window was wide open by his desk. "Funny. I could have sworn I closed the window."

Despite the inconsistency of his memories, Yuugi felt a sudden instance of happiness. He recognized it as foreign from his own feelings, but oddly welcomed it. As he went to close the window, he hummed a tune softly, and felt the foreign feeling come closer, almost as if he was nuzzled close to him, then softly subsided. Seemed to be asleep.

As Yuugi's mind began to wander in its presence, his alarm clock rang loudly. He quickly hit the buttons, not wanting to wake whatever he was feeling. "This isn't me. I'm not feeling these."

As he thought this, the sleeping presence took a deep breath and sighed in confirmation, snuggling closer still.

"Another person? In my head? That's crazy, isn't it? But… Oddly comforting. I know I'm safe, and not crazy. Then again… A crazy person wouldn't think they're crazy right? Not a good sign… Or maybe I'm over thinking?" His thoughts we cut short as he felt something heavy hit his chest and instinctively reached to grab it. As he pulled on a cord, he remembered what it was.

"The Millennium Puzzle! That's right! I solved it!" He laughed as he held it in his hands.

He felt a soft acknowledgement inside, but slowly fades. Whatever was in his head, it fell deeper asleep as Yuugi became more alert. Yuugi quickly shot a questioning emotion at what he felt and received a sudden burst of happiness and affection before sleepiness. Whatever it was, it was fully asleep now, and Yuugi couldn't feel it anymore.

Yuugi furrowed his brows as he thought. "It's a person. It must be, right? It feels really human-like. He also feels so smart and nice. Is this the friend I wished for? If so, then… We'll never be apart… Right?" He smiled at the idea of having a best friend he could depend on.

"Yuugi! Hurry up! You're going to be late!" His grandfather called from downstairs.

"Coming!" Yuugi responded, quickly going to his closet to dress himself. As he buttoned up his white undershirt, he remembered. "Ushio." The uttering of his name was quiet, almost barely there. His felt the color drain from his face as he slid on his top layer.

As he felt the first waves of panic, he felt the presence in his head jolt awake. A fierce protective energy and a determination to destroy whatever had caused the light in his life, his precious light, any pain. Despite the negative energy running though this presence, Yuugi felt safe. He felt tired again, wondering what it could be.

After feeling that Yuugi felt safe, the presence felt amusement and satisfaction before curling up and going back to sleep. Feeling the energy coming back to him, Yuugi felt certain that he wasn't in danger. How he knew this, and why is was so certain, he didn't know. He just knew that whatever had taken residence in his mind wouldn't let anything happen.

I ran down the stairs, skipping steps as he did.

Grandpa looked at Yuugi with a hint of surprise. "My, you're cheerful today, aren't you Yuugi. Did you sort things out last night? You came back pretty late."

"What?" Yuugi hadn't gone out last night. He fell asleep after finishing the puzzle, didn't he? But didn't he wake up on his bed? He waved it off, thinking it must have something to do with the person he kept feeling in the morning. "Oh, things went fine. Everything's cool now." Yuugi said, in a hurry. He had to cover for the person for now, until he knew what was going on, even if he had no idea what he did.

Yuugi was almost late, spending too much time being enveloped in the other person's protective spirit. Nothing could top the joy he felt from him. No grades, no bullies, nothing. It felt like a warm hug.

He did, however, made it just in time to see the crowd standing around something rather interesting. There were shouts from a familiar voice from the other side. "Oh no… Ushio…"

As Yuugi pushed his way through the crowd, he found Ushio rolling in a pile of leaves.

"Money! Lovely money! So much, and it's all mine! I'm rich! I'm filthy rich!" Ushio said, running the leaves over his face, leaving a mark dirt. He looked like he hadn't slept either, from the circles under his eyes.

"He thinks the leaves are money" Yuugi overheard a young girl behind him mumble. "Not just leaves, there's trash in there too" another girl giggled. Just as she said that, Yuugi turned to see a crushed can bounce over Ushio's uniform, staining it.

Yuugi was shocked and, quite frankly, a tad disgusted with the behavior. He felt the presence in his head again, and it was looking at Ushio too. The presence turned back to Yuugi and gave a feeling that Yuugi could only interpret as a smile, despite it not being physical. It gave Yuugi a feeling of satisfaction and reassurance before subsiding.

"Well…" Yuugi started, "He did want money. Now he has all the money he wants. It's not like he's hurt or anything, unlike what he did to Jounouchi, Honda, and me. It's fair." Yuugi hoped it wouldn't last forever though, just until Ushio was sick of his greed.

He smiled at the person inside him and felt him stretch in its sleep. As the presence moved, Yuugi felt his eyes droop a little.

"Oh… I get it. He goes to sleep when I'm awake. That's why he can't talk to me, right?" With that, Yuugi sighed with relief. "I was worried that he didn't want to talk to me, or worse, he couldn't. Kinda wish he left a note…"

As the day went on, Yuugi tried to wake the person up. He tried anything from mentally nudging him to imagining himself cupping his hands around his mouth and yelling, but only got sleep in return. It was mildly irritating. At some point, Yuugi got fed up and just crossed his arms.

At that moment, the presence came back. He tossed and turned. Was there something wrong? Was he in danger? Who hurt him?

Yuugi then perked up and quickly sent the presence the thought of writing a note. The other person was surprised to find Yuugi was just fine and expressed mild annoyance, but quickly was suppressed, and an apology followed.

Yuugi yawned. "It's alright, when you write the note, tell me your name, okay?"

The presence agreed, but felt a sudden wave of exhaustion come over him. Yuugi almost laughed. It was a tired little thing, wasn't he?

Yuugi felt a hand grab his shoulder and spun him around, panic filling him. Whatever was in his head was instantly wide awake, and Yuugi slipped into the darkness.

A moment later, before fully slipping away, the presence called his attention again, sharing a feeling of anticipation.

Yuugi returned to the front and saw Jounouchi. He looked rather shy, unlike his usual abrasive self. "Yeah?" Yuugi asked, a bit hesitant. He was usually afraid of Jounouchi, since he usually teased him. Nothing too mean, he thought, but still something he didn't really like. Then again, of the other person trusted him, then Yuugi should too, right? He seemed to not want Yuugi hurt, so he would never leave him in danger.

"Um, Yuugi, got somethin' for ya." Jounouchi said, scratching the back of his head. Yuugi hesitated to ask what it was, "You gotta guess. It's a riddle like that puzzle thing ya got. What's somethin' that can't be seen, but only shown?" Jounouchi's face flushed up a little, not really believing he was doing this right now.

"Um… I don't know. What is it?" Yuugi knew this was out of character for Jounouchi. A riddle from him? Crazy talk.

"Some puzzle master you are, can't believe ya can't figure it out!" Jounouchi teased. "Come one! It's friendship Yuugi. We're friends now. You, me, Honda, and eh, Anzu can tag along too if she forgives us for… ya know… lookin'. Whatever. See ya after class?"

Before Yuugi could respond, Jounouchi looked to the ground and ran off. His school shoe even came off as he dashed away, missing Yuugi's head by barely an inch.

"Jounouchi! Your shoe! You left your shoe!" Yuugi cried, running behind his new-found friend.


	2. Conversation

"Thanks to the puzzle, I've got the friend I always wanted. No more, no less." Yuugi mused to himself. "I've got someone who'll care for me, enough to place my welfare over his own. I'm so lucky!"

He sent this feeling of joy to his guardian and felt a warmth and closeness in response.

"What're you smiling 'bout Yug?" Jounouchi asked, teasing his friend. "You and Anzu… Ya know…" He nudged Yuugi's ribs.

"Wha-, no! Nothing like that!" Yuugi replied, face flushing up. He didn't want to tell anyone about this person yet. They might think he was losing it, and after finally making a real friend, he didn't want to risk it. Worse, even if they did believe him, he didn't want anyone thinking this presence was dangerous and taking him away. He'd only known this person for a few days, but somehow the thought of being separated, not feeling that presence, not feeling that warmth and joy protecting him, it felt like a nightmare. The anxiety caused the presence to wake up. It attempted to reassure him that everything would be okay, but Yuugi could feel what it felt.

He could feel it was terrified of the idea.

In an attempt to calm it, Yuugi grasped for a new topic. Anything would be okay. "So, did you watch that tape?"

"Yup! But, y'know, they've got all the good stuff censored. Frustrating as sh-" Jounouchi cut off his swear. "Bet you still wanna see, you dog!"

"Huh?" Yuugi was lost inside again. While the presence couldn't physically touch him, sometimes it felt too real. He almost staggered a few times at the feeling of strong arms holding him tight, a chin resting against his shoulder, a warm check against his neck. Heat rushed to his face.

"I said, do ya want the tape? Jeez what is with you today? You're in dreamland." Before Yuugi could respond, Jounouchi brushed it off.

"Uh… yeah sure. I'll have to hide it from Grandpa, and I'll have to wait until he's out of the house to watch it, so it might be a while until you get it back." This was only half a truth though. While, yes, he did have to hide it from his Grandpa, that wasn't entirely the reason. He spent most of his free time lately trying to communicate with the new guardian he had. Before, he was able to call it out with strong emotions, but after a while, it learned Yuugi was faking it. It also refused to take over like he did the night they first met. Yuugi poked at it, frustrated, but only got back feelings of apology along with… determination? Yuugi couldn't tell.

"Sure, makes se- Is that a van?" Jounouchi almost stopped in his tracks. "That's… that's a TV van! What's it doing?" His pace slowed down as he thought. "Maybe… There's a star here! Yug, look through the glass!"

A star? That was crazy talk. Why would a star be at their school? Yuugi decided to humor his friend for a moment and attempted to peek through the glass. "Sorry… I think it's one way glass. Can't see a thing."

Yuugi couldn't see anything, but someone else did. "Him… He's perfect."

* * *

Anzu scoffed at Jounouchi. "A star? In Domino High, Ridiculous." He was planning to sell pictures for extra cash.

"Why does he want this extra money so bad?" Yuugi thought to himself. Sure, after school jobs were against the rules but Jounouchi… wasn't one to follow rules to say the least.

Before Yuugi could object, he was already being dragged by Jounouchi on his quest to find the star. Yuugi tried to suggest other reasons for the van to be outside their school, but eventually, Jounouchi got fed up with it and went of on his own.

The resulting sadness called upon the guardian. It gave Yuugi a warm embrace and leaned onto him before falling asleep on him. "He's much more active than he was at first. Is he getting stronger? Maybe we can talk soon… But how can we talk if he's asleep?"

He poked at it, hoping to wake it up, but only got an apologetic squeeze and a feeling of minor frustration, not at Yuugi, but at… something else. His weakness? "Is he worried that if he writes me the note, he won't the strength to protect me when I need it? Protecting me… It seems to be his top priority. It's no nice that he cares." Yuugi noticed he was softly humming to himself, but quickly stopped himself. Someone might think it was weird.

"Yuugi!" A voice called out, unfamiliar to him.

Yuugi jumped. When he turned, he found a pretty big guy. "A third-year? He looks like a university student. What would a third-year want with him? Why does third-year even know me?" Yuugi felt anxiety bubbling inside him, but quickly calmed down. His protector wouldn't let anything happen to him. He hugged it, reassuring him he would be fine and felt it sigh in relief and fall asleep once again.

"Heard you and your friend was looking for the new transfer student. Rumor has it she's a star." The older student smiled and put his hands in his pockets.

"So it's true? Can I meet her? Jounouchi and I would love to see who it is!" Yuugi almost bounced.

"Yeah, I already told Jounouchi. See you during lunch then, behind the school?"

"Of course!" Yuugi answered. The larger student walked off, chuckling to himself… This was too easy…

* * *

"Here I am and, oh there he is! But where's the st-" Yuugi's thought was cut short at the swing of the older student's arm. The guardian awoke immediately and smiled. "Hope he isn't too hard on the guy…" Yuugi let himself fall into the darkness.

* * *

The guardian parried the oncoming blows. "You'll have to do better than that." He chuckled.

"What the HELL are you doing?" Jounouchi ran in from behind, slamming into the student and knocking him to the ground.

"Yes, what are you doing?" The guardian asked, smirking condescendingly at the figure laid in front of him.

The man on the ground sniveled. "I-I didn't want to! Honestly! T-the director-"

"Director?" Jounouchi echoed. The guardian closed his eyes and echoed it as well, checking Yuugi's memories, looking for any mention of a director. Before he could find anything, he heard a voice from behind a bush. "Cut! Cut! Good, good."

"Ah, someone wants to play with my Savior and entertain others with his suffering?" The guardian smirked as the shadows danced around him, eager to lend their powers to their commander. "Yes, a punishment is in order. We've already defeated his champion, the one he sent to fight for him. I would say he's already lost the Game." Ideas ran through his head, each seeming more promising than the last.

Meanwhile, Jounouchi had attempted to brawl with the director, but lost, beaten on tape.

The guardian narrowed his eyes in the direction of the camera, causing it to explode.

"What the fu-" The director said, trailing off in shock. The dark entity glared at the cameraman, taking a single step towards him. That was all it took for both the cameraman and the actor dressed as a student to dash away. "Wise ones, recognizing that staying would mean doom." The guardian chuckled as he turned his attention to the director. "Now… as for you."

The director took a step back. "Escaping? I'm so dearly sorry, I really am, but I can't let you do that." With a flick of his wrist, shadows shot at his victim, ensnaring his limbs.

"What the hell are you?" The director whispered. His voice refused to speak any louder.

"I could say your worst nightmare, but, frankly, that's a bit cliché, don't you think? In reality, I'm probably much worse than that." He smiled, letting every word drip with venom. The smile faded into a stern face. "You attempted to harm my Savior for your personal gain and I can't tolerate that. You've also harmed this young soul, a brave young man and a friend of my Lord."

He walked over to Jounouchi, who had been knocked out. The guardian snapped his fingers, letting a light shoot from his fingertips and onto the figure before him.

"Wha-... What did my dad do…?" As he sat up, he began to recollect his bearings. "Where am I?" He opened his eyes and focused on the hand held out in front of him. "Yug…?" Accepting the hand, he was helped up. He began to remember what had happened.

The guardian asked a question, and he answered. "Yeah, I'm fine Yug." At that moment, he finally got a good look at his friend. A small jump from shock resulted. This… wasn't Yuugi. His eyes were red, like a demon. He stood up straight, confident. He almost looked taller. "Who the hell…"

The red eyed boy winked and smiled before nodding his head to the side. Jounouchi followed, finding the director tied. "Oh… cool." The director was tied up… somehow. The ropes looked more like dark clouds, complete with small cracks of thunder. The director's mouth was wide, but no sounds came from it. "What… What did you do?"

"I'm simply holding him while his fate is decided. Well?"

"Well what?"

"What should we do with him? He has trespassed the souls of both you and my Savior. I've sworn to protect him. Since you were also a part of this, I believe it is only just that you also have a voice in his punishment. What do you think is a proper reward for attempting to profit from the suffering and pain of others?"

"Wait, who-"

"Quickly, or I will decide myself. I don't have much time here."

"Oh- well… uh" Jounouchi thought hard. Was he really doing to punish a man? "Since he's a video guy, he makes money from what he sees, right? If he were blind-" He stopped himself. No, this Yuugi look alike wouldn't blind anyone, right? How would he even-

"A good decision." He turned to the director. "Hear the divine punishment! For making others see the world through false lens," he smirked, his eye glowing as he looked down. "All you see will be digitized!" His hair flew back, revealing a golden eye glowing on his forehead. The same image came from his hand as he outstretched it to his victim.

The shadows let the man go. As he fell, he fell to his knees, screaming. "Return home. When the evil in your heart is banished, when you cease to treat others as actors you control, your sight will return." His voice, soft like silk, but deadly, continued. "If you seek revenge, or order others to seek it for you… far worse will befall you. Now go!"

The director ran off, bumping into nearby objects as he went. As he faded from view, the boy slumped, but quickly sprang back to life. "Wait!"

"W-what is it?" Jounouchi was quite confused. What was going on? He wasn't quite the fan of curses, and this doppelganger was not Yuugi. And what was with this Savior and Lord stuff?

"I almost forgot! Thank goodness, I remembered. My Savior would have been so unhappy with me." The boy before him, he seemed like a demon just moments ago, looked like a child. He began to search his pockets. He grasped a pen. "Ah! Perfect!" He quickly turned to Jounouchi. "I am sorry to be a bother, but might you have a sheet of paper on you?" He looked to the ground, hiding his embarrassed grin.

"Uh… Sorry, but no." Jounouchi couldn't help but feel some sort of confusion. This kid looked almost… cute?

"Drat… And I shouldn't use any more of my powers… I can't summon one. I'm sure we'd be stopped by a teacher if I were to look for one." The boy began to pace back and forth. He turned to Jounouchi. "Could you do me a favor?"

"I guess? I owe you for getting that creep. What is it?"

"Can you take a message to Lord Yuugi? I asked me to leave a note next time I took over telling him who I am and the like, but I don't seem to have any paper." The boy smiled, embarrassed.

"Hold on! Who are you anyway? If you answer some questions, I'll tell Yug what you said." Jounouchi offered. "Where's Yuugi? How do you know him?"

"He's here, asleep." The boy pointed to himself. "That's the problem. Right now, we only have enough energy between us for one person to be awake. That'll change as we get stronger, but right now, if I wake up, the master falls asleep. I'm usually asleep in his place. I don't like being awake. It's his body and his energy, and I wouldn't be serving him well if I was living his life for him." The boy laughed sorrowfully. "That would be rather inconvenient for him. The Lord's been waiting for me to wake up so I could write the letter since we can't talk yet, and now…" He ran a hand through his hair, letting the golden forelocks fall in front of his face. "If I had just done what he asked, I would be at a desk with plenty of paper…" With a sigh, the look-alike shrugged. "Oh well…"

"What are you, and what've ya got to do with Yuugi? Clearly, you're not him."

"My Lord is the one who freed me, and out of gratitude and admiration, I've sworn to serve him o the best of my abilities for the rest of his life. I also have you to thank." The guardian bowed. "If not for you returning the puzzle piece, he would have not be able to solve the puzzle and free me. Thank you, and you have my protection for that, as well as for being a friend of the Lord." Jounouchi looked away. If he never too the puzzle piece in the first place, there'd be no reason to give it back. He just hoped this wild card didn't remember that small detail. He snapped back to reality when he heard the voice of the guardian. "If I am ever able to do you a service," he said, straightening up from his bow, "Is there anything? Perhaps I can do it later."

"Uh… yeah… later…" Jounouchi cleared his throat. "So, uh, what were ya doing in a puzzle?"

"I don't recall. The puzzle's power stripped me of my memories. All I remember is being trapped inside before the Lord freed me. It was…" The young boy looked down and paused, his breath picking up the pace. He could almost feel it again. The chains, so cold, ripping through his flesh. He freezing air, the pain… so much pain… "Unpleasant…"

Jounouchi reached out a hand to comfort the young boy, but didn't know how. He seemed to be in so much pain suddenly. He could see the shallow breathing. The boy's eyes were wide with a sort of primal fear Jounouchi never thought he would see on Yuugi's face. He hopes to never see it again. "It's fine, you don't have to explain i-"

"I owe My Lord everything." The guardian spoke in almost a whisper, trying to calm himself down from the racing memories. He looked backup, and saw Jounouchi's face. Was that concern? Surely for his Savior, it must be. "I would never harm him, if that's what concerns you."

Jounouchi opened his mouth to ask if he was okay, but was cut off. "Oh! Yes, My Lord specifically wanted to know my name: I am so sorry, but I don't seem to remember having one. Anything he wishes to call me is fine." The guardian thought about being named. Any name his Savior would give him will be treasured. A new man will finally be born, and will live and die working his Lord. He almost smiled at the thought before bringing his attention to the blond. "Can you think of anything My Lord might wish to know? I really should go to rest now, it wouldn't do him well to miss class for me."

"I can't think of anything now. Can I talk to Yuugi now? Ya know, before I forget?" Jounouchi didn't know how this worked, but he needed to tell Yuugi everything.

"Of course." Another bow was given. "I am now in your debt, Jounouchi, sir. Thank you for helping me fulfill My Lord's request." As he finished his line, the boy closed his eyes and slowed his breathing, trying to call Yuugi back.

"Uh… you're welcome?" By the time he was half way through his sentence, the boy's eyes opened, showing Yuugi's usual violet eyes.

"Huh... "Yuugi looked around, seeing his friend. "Jou…?" After fully waking up, Yuugi almost jumped. "N-nevermind!" He began fishing through his pockets, hoping to find a note. "Where is it… Where where where?"

"Yug? I think ya got yourself a spirit on your hands." Jounouchi interjected.

"You spoke to him? Who is he? What's he like? What's his voice sound like? Where's the note? Did he forget?" Questions flew from Yuugi faster than Jounouchi could comprehend. The taller friend placed his hands on the smaller boy's shoulders, hoping to slow him down.

"He almost forgot, but when he remembered, he couldn't find paper, so he asked me to tell you as much as he could think of."

"Well?" Yuugi began to bounce in place. He could barely contain himself. Finally, some communication!

"Well, he says he came from the puzzle. When you finished it, you freed him from some sort of prison or curse or something. When he takes over, you kinda go to sleep, and he does the same when you're awake."

"Did he tell you his name? I really wanna know."

"He said he doesn't have one. He said you can call him anything you want. He also calls you his Lord? It's kinda weird…" Jounouchi's nose scrunched up at the memories of Yuugi being called a lord. What was with that anyway?

"Lord… no no that's no good… I want to be his friend, not own him…" Yuugi frowned. "Did he say anything about when we could talk to each other? I don't want me being in danger to be the only time we get to communicate…"

"He said something about getting stronger but…"

"But what?"

"Is he really good? I mean, he was nice and all, he thanked me for…" Jounouchi stopped himself before revealing that he found the last puzzle piece, revealing that he may or may not have taken it in the first place. "... Something… and for being your friends, but his could be dangerous. We might need to find someone."

"Jou!" Yuugi protested.

"Well, things like this, possessing people and whatnot, they're usually demons."

"He's not like that!" Yuugi clutched his puzzle protectively. "He's nice… and sweet… I can feel it." Yuugi ran his fingers over the bumps and ridges of the puzzle. "I feel what he feels all the time, and all he wants to do is protect me and make me happy." The puzzle felt cold, almost like ice. Yuugi then remembered the torture and pain it caused his guardian. "I could never send him back Jou! I'd never do that to him! He… he has nightmares about what it's like in there…" Tears almost came to his eyes. The guardian tried to send him comfort, but was too tired to do anything to help. "Even now, inside, he's trying to make me happy…"

Jounouchi thought that if something wanted to trap him in the puzzle, it must have been bad, but he remembered the tough guardian show his moment weakness. No, not remembered, it felt more than that. Like the memory of seeing such a terrifying being show fragility and fear was stuck in his head. He decided not to press further.

Yuugi paced around. Jounouchi almost laughed at the sight. Despite the two Yuugis being so different, the seemed to share little traits, and pacing seemed to be one of them. "Does he remember anything besides his name?"

"He said the puzzle stole his memories. He looked…" The memory came back. "Haunted by it…"

"Poor thing…" Yuugi sighed and began running his fingers over the puzzle again. "It was really cruel to him…" After a moment, Yuugi's head shot back up. "Can you keep this a secret? At least for now?"

"Wha- why?" This was a big deal, how could Yuugi keep something like this a secret?

"Well, Anzu and Honda might think we were pulling their legs think I going bonkers if we told them I have a ghost with me now. They might ask for proof, and he's really exhausted now." Yuugi yawned, almost as if to punctuate his statement. "I am too."

"He said something about power, like that he'd summon up a paper or something, but it'd need too much energy. Wouldn't have believed it if it wasn't' for what he just did."

He could summon things? "That's amazing! What did he do?" Yuugi was bouncing again.

"He healed me after I got knocked into next Sunday, tied up the guy who attacked you, and… made a guy go blind. Like, for real. It was terrifying." Jounouchi paled at the recollection of shadow roped. "O-or it would have been, to someone not as brave as me, obviously."

"Yeah, he did something to Ushio, but I didn't think it involved actual magic! Besides, I don't think he'd hurt me or anyone I cared about. And you said he likes you, right? You don't have to worry." Yuugi felt the presence give him a warm internal thank you. Yuugi closed his eyes and hummed, taking in the feeling.

Jounouchi looked at him. What was he doing? "Um…"

Yuugi opened up his eyes and flushed up. Oh, sorry. I do that when I'm focusing on him. He feels really happy right now, and the feeling kinda bleeds into my feelings sometimes." Yuugi closed his eyes again before the bell rang.

"Oh shoot… We better get to class." With a small bounce, Yuugi began to dash to the school. "Come one Jou!"

"Hold up, I'm comin'!" Jounouchi wasn't going to let this kid out of his sight. He may trust this guy, but Jounouchi has seen one too many horror movies to know where this was going, and he wasn't going to let his new friend get hurt. Plus, he felt like it was somewhat his fault for giving Yuugi the last piece of the puzzle anyway, so if anything happened, it was on his hands.

* * *

"Yug. Still want the tape?" Jounouchi pulled out a VHS tape with a blank cover.

"Tape?"

"Yeah, the one with the censored bits. Or were ya too zoned out?"

"Oh, that one! Yeah, thanks!"

As Yuugi reached for the tape, Anzu quickly scooped it up. Knowing exactly what it was, she teased the boys. "Oh, what's this? A good movie? I'll be borrowing that." She rolled her eyes. Can't believe they were doing this is plain sight, these fools.

"H-hey! Give it back!" The boys followed after her, trying to take the film back.

* * *

 _Author's note_

 _Some fans of the old fic might have noticed that I began using the phrases "Lord" and "Savior" instead of "master." This is just a personal preference, since Yami tends to see Yuugi as some sort of godly figure after being saved, and I felt these terms fit that sentiment a little better. I also feel sort of weird using Japanese honorifics or terms in an English fic, so for consistency sake, I'm trying my best to keep things strictly English._

 _Once again, thank you Laryna6 for letting me rewrite this fic, it means the world to me to take such a great concept and be able to have my own take on it._


	3. Confidence

"Every morning as I wait for the bus, I think 'I hope something fun happens today!" Yuugi looks at his puzzle and smiles warmly. "I know… there's not really a reason to talk to you right now, but I don't want to just give up and ignore you." He paused, trying his best to give some sort of mental hug to his partner. "It's better than being alone… What do you think?"

 _Sleepy… Hug… Warm… Happiness…_

Yuugi smiled. "You know, you toss and turn a lot. Are you okay? You don't seem like the restless type. Is it because of the puzzle? I felt it when I solved it. It was like… chains holding you down, poor thing." He imagined what it might feel like to be held down. "Well, I'll make sure you're safe, just like you do for me."

 _Happy! Hug! Thank you! Gratitude! Still sleepy…_

Yuugi laughed to himself. Why was he so cute? It was almost child-like. "We seem to be communicating okay. Maybe we'll be able to talk soon? You're half-awake more of the- wait!" The bus drove up to the stop, picking up Yuugi and other students. "Better stop talking, don't want to get distracted and miss my stop! Sorry!"

 _That's okay! Happy. Cuddle. Sleep._

As the spirit fell asleep, Yuugi smiled and ran his fingers over the puzzle. "He's so sweet." You blushed softly, then brought himself back to reality. He noticed his classmate Hanasaki walk past him. They weren't exactly friends, but Yuugi liked to be friendly to everyone. Plus, they both shared the position of bully targets. "Good morning Hanasaki!"

The boy looked away, avoid eye contact. "Why? Is he okay? Maybe he's just shy. I did just befriend Jounouchi and Honda" Yuugi thought to himself. "I'm still going to nice to him. It's not like making friends means I can't make new ones."

The bus then made a sudden stop, throwing Yuugi to the back of the bus.

 _Alarm! Concern. Worry._

"Don't worry, I'm fine. It doesn't hurt."

 _Okay. Sleep._

As Yuugi got up, he saw the back of the bus was vacant. He didn't need to wonder why, though. A larger student sat on the furthest seat, listening to rock music though his earbuds. Not that it mattered, the music was loud enough to be heard from where he stood. Yuugi quickly got himself back up and attempted to leave.

"Stop! Yuugi, friend, come join me."

Yuugi's heart raced before remembering he had the spirit with him now. No need to be afraid. "What is It Sozoji?"

"Just got an offer you can't refuse. I'm holding one of my famous and beloved 'All Night Solo Live Shows!'" He fished though his jacket and pulled out a few tickets. "And I need your help selling my tickets."

Yuugi's face paled. The shows were absolutely awful. Yuugi had been to them more than a few times, and he never wanted to go to another one again. "I'm sorry Sozoji, but I don't have the time! I'm sure you can sell those tickets though!"

"I don't think you heard me." Sozoji stood up and rolled up a sleeve, getting ready to attack. "I said 'an offer you can't refuse.'"

Yuugi puffed his chest. "Are you really going to attack m in front of a bus full of witnesses?" It was true. As soon as Sozoji called out to Yuugi, the whole bus has turned around to look. They didn't want to intervene, no that might mean becoming victims themselves, but they watched.

"I'll get you later, punk." Rolling his sleeves back down, Sozoji plugged his earbuds back in, muttering to himself.

Yuugi used this opportunity to talk back. "I wouldn't recommend that Sozoji, really I wouldn't." As he walked to the frnt of the bus, the boy held the puzzle in his hands. "I feel so brave, and it's all thanks to you."

 _Happy. Proud._

* * *

"That punk, acting like he's strong just because he has friends now, eh? I'll show him. Some twig first-years are nothing to me."

Leaning back Sozoji watched the brat walk down the bus. "Heh, doesn't matter. The dork with the glasses has tickets anyway. I'll still sell a few, even if I need to get a few bruises in him first."

With a chuckle, Sozoji closed his eyes and moved his lips to the lyrics of the son blasting in his ears.

* * *

"Mornin' Yug!" Jounouchi leaned on Yuugi's chair. Yuugi greeted him in suit. "I asked 'round, and yeah, there's no star here… yet!" With a snap Jounouchi says "Because I'm gonna be the star of this school."

"Oh." Yuugi responds, lost in thought.

"What, no enthusiasm? No 'Yeah go for it'?" Looking at his friend's face, he noticed his face. "Somethin' up?"

"No, nothing." Yuugi looked down at the puzzle. It became a habit to look down at it when he was worried. He had a bad feeling about Sozoji.

Jounouchi was quick to take this the wrong way. "Is it him? What did he do?"

"N-no!" Yuugi sighed. "Honestly, someone tried to pick on me on the bus. I stood up for myself, but I still have a bad feeling about it."

"Someone tried to pick on you?" Jounouchi's face scrunched up. "Who? Who did it? I'll-"

"Jou, look, it's nothing." Yuugi cut off. He didn't want anymore fighting, especially coming to his friend. "But, I feel a little better letting it out. It's nothing, really!" Yuugi's hands fell to the puzzle. "I don't need to worry about bullies anymore. It almost feels a little silly to be afraid."

"Why?"

"Isn't it obvious." Yuugi smiled. "Because I have you, and Anzu, Honda, and-"

"Nah nah, I get it." Jounouchi smirked. "Take your time! Honda and I still have to execute Plan P.T. See ya at recess, right?"

"Yeah!"

"Ready for execution of P.T?"

"Yeah!"

* * *

"Operation Panty Tank is a go!"

Honda and Jounouchi snuck up behind Anzu, holding a wooden plank with handles attached. As they got closer, the boys lifted up Anzu's skirt, making her underwear very visible. She quickly pushed her skirt down before turning around and hitting the two perverts on the head. She announced what perverts they were loudly to the class.

The girls quickly shuffled to their desks and sat down, not wanting to be the next victim of the dreaded Panty Tank.

* * *

After class, Yuugi found Hanasaki changing his school shoes for his outdoor shoes. He quickly called out, hoping this time, he wouldn't be ignored.

"Oh… Hi Yuugi…" Hanasaki looked down. "Sorry to bug you but…" He pulled out a ticket from his pocket. "Could you buy this ticket from me?"

"This is why he ignored me this morning" Yuugi noted. He must have been nabbed by Sozoji before him. "Look, Sozoji already has it out for me because I refused to sell his tickets. How about you just give me yours and tell him I took them off your hands. You don't have to go to his show, I'll take your place."

Hanasaki looked up and gave a smile of relief. "Really? You'd do that for me?"

"It's nothing, really. Sozoji can't do anything to me, so don't worry."

"Thank you so much, you're a life-"

Before Hanasaki could finish, Sozoji stepped out from behind the lockers. "Hanasaki. I saw that." Sozoji grabbed Hanasaki by the collar and lifted him up. "You think you could weasel your way out?"

Jounouchi and Honda casually walked their way around the corner before seeing the scene and stepping in to help. Sozoji quickly put Hanasaki down. With as tsk, Sozoji left. Before he was gone, Yuugi heard a faint muttering.

* * *

Sozoji walked towards the school gates, kicking stray stones as he walked. Those damn punks. Thinking they could get away with passing around tickets to avoid him and his shows. Why didn't they see the were being blessed with the opportunity to hear his voice? Whatever, doesn't matter.

He knew where those fuckers lived. He knew how to get them to his shows. He had connections.

He chuckled to himself.

"The more the merrier." He muttered, smirking.

* * *

Yuugi heard the phone ring downstairs in the game shop. As it was picked up, he heard his grandfather's voice. "Yuugi! Phone!"

Yuugi came down the stairs and picked up the phone. He immediately recognized Sozoji's voice on the other end. "Look, Sozoji, I'm not going to sell your tickets for you."

"Nah, that's fine. Water under the bridge bud. I just wanted to invite you to the show. It's on the house. You really don't want to miss it. I got all your friends here, so drop by to see them."

Yuugi clenched his teeth. That bastard. He could feel the tears welling up in his eyes as he clenched his free hand into a fist. He could feel the spirit inside him stir and awaken.

As his vision faded, the spirit held him tight. A promise to make sure this man is put to justice. A promise to destroy the man who hurt his Savior. With a small sway of his body, Yuugi knew his protector was taking control.

The last thing Yuugi heard before he fell into the darkness was a voice he was unfamiliar with. "I'll be there Sozoji."

* * *

The guardian stood at the door, looking in with eyes that seemed to glow in the dark of the entrance. "Sozoji. Where are they."

Sozoji turned to the voice with a smile on his face. He opened his arms in greeting. "Ah, Yuugi! They're all in the karaoke room! We've been waiting for you."

As the spirit looked in, he took a small step back. Jounouchi, Honda, and Hanasaki were the ground, badly bruised and beaten. After the shock passed, he quickly ran to his friends' aid. "Jounouchi! Honda! Hanasaki! What happened? Are you alright?"

"Yeah Yuugi… We're fine. Just go, get out of here!" Honda groaned, laying on the floor.

"No, Honda. It's okay man." Jounouchi looked at the spirit's face. "That ain't Yuugi."

Honda raised his voice in confusion, but before he could ask, Sozoji spoke up. "So, Yuugi, why don't you come watch my show? Your friends seem to enjoy my talent." He brought the microphone to his face and sang a few notes, off key and loud. The speakers gave the loud screech of feedback, causing the victims to wince.

The spirit stood up, straightened his posture, and without looking towards the menace, spoke in a low, quite voice. "How dare you. How dare you treat my Lord's friends this way."

His fist clenched beside him as he looked down, hiding the smile stretching across his face. Inky darkness wormed its way through the cracks of the door, slowly flooding the room with shadows. The tendrils climbed the walls and crawled the floors, tinting the room with black and red.

Sozoji was taken aback, but quickly recovered and lunged at Yuugi. "You little-" As he lept forward, the shadowed had begun to wrap around his legs, throwing him back against a wall.

"So, you wish to challenge me to combat?" A small chuckle arose from the spirit. "How foolish." With a flick of his wrist, Sozoji was pinned to the ground.

"What? I-! I can't move! What the hell is this?"

"You think I'd put a weapon in the hand of my enemy?" He tilted his head towards the man on the floor, letting his bright red eyes to pierce through him. "Once again, you prove yourself to be a fool." He turned his head back to his Savior's friends on the floor. "Well, Jounouchi? Honda? Hanasaki? What should be his punishment? You were the ones wronged, so it is fitting that you be the one to bang the gavel on his sentence."

"What the f-" Honda whispered.

"Later, Honda. Questions later. Look, uh-" Jounouchi struggled to call the spirit something.

"Yami. My name is Yami now."

"Yami? Right, okay. I'm fine, but Honda and Hanasaki got pretty messed up. Can you do… whatever you did to me when that bastard got in a lucky shot?"

Yami nodded. "Of course. I should have thought of it before. Thank you for bringing it to my attention." Yami then posed his hands in front of Honda and Hanasaki, letting a light radiate from it and onto the targets.

Hanasaki sat up. "You guys… I"

Jounouchi looked at him. "Hanasaki, dude, you alright?"

"I'm sorry, I-. It's all my fault. If you guys hadn't tried to defend me, I, you-"

"No, Hanasaki." Yami kneeled to meet him face to face. "My Lord also blames himself for incurring Sozoji's wrath." Placing a hand on the young student's shoulder, Yami continued. "It is the evil in Sozoji's heart that caused all this pain, not the actions of those who meant no harm. Please, rest easy."

Hanasaki looked into Yami's eyes. "Who… Who are you?"

"I am Lord Yuugi's protector. That is all I am. You should rest. I healed the injuries but did not have the strength to replace your energy." Yami stood up and stretched his hand out. "I'll send you back home." He closed his eyes and let the shadows envelop Hanasaki before fading away, Hanasaki no longer there.

Honda stood up and spoke through gritted teeth. "Okay, explanation time. What the FUCK is going on? First, Yuugi is 'not Yuugi', next, shadows! Everywhere! Grabbing shit and flinging men against walls, and now, teleportation? And what he hell is this 'Lord Yuugi' bullshit? What the actual fuck is going on?"

"Look, look, okay. I get this doesn't make sense. It's really complicated, but Yuugi has a spirit on his hands, and Yug really trusts this guy, and I do too, at least as far as I could throw him."

Yami smiled and laughed. "I suggest changing your phrasing. You wouldn't be able to touch me, let alone throw me far."

Jounouchi gave a worried laugh. "Can you blame me? Who knows what you could do?"

"Not me. I tend to go my instinct. I don't know what I'm capable of until the moment strikes." Yami gives him a bigger smile now.

"Okay, now you're giving me the creeps, but it's nice to see you actually have a sense of humor."

The moment is broken by the sounds of Sozoji yelling at them, asking what's going on and demanding, or rather begging, to be freed. "Oh right, Honda, got anything poetic we can do to this guy?" Jounouchi looked back and smiled as he pointed to the victim with his thumb. Even in the darkness, everyone could see the color in Sozoji's face fade. "You got a crush on that libraria-" An elbow was nudged into Jounouchi's side, cutting him off.

"Shut up. Just, please, explain what's going on." Honda sighed. "I'm just tired and nothing is making sense."

"Okay, fine. This is…" Jounouchi fished his memory for the name again.

"Yami."

"Yeah, Yami. Like I said earlier, Yuugi has a spirit now, which was trapped in the puzzle thing Yuugi was solving a while back. He's Yuugi's guardian or whatever now and he does all sorts of weird shit to people." Jounouchi looks back to Sozoji, who is now dead silent, listening in. "And now, he's gonna curse this jerk." Jounouchi walked to him and gently kicked his boot to Sozoji's side. "For messing with Yuugi and his friends. Any idea 'bout what to do to him?"

Honda didn't truly believe in everything but gave his idea anyway. "Sound… Sozoji basically tortured us with sound, which should be beautiful, right? Maybe he should hear horrible noise? Not permanently, but-"

"It's just temporary?" Jounouchi asked, looking at Yami.

Yami looked at Sozoji. "Yes. It is not right to harm those who have been reformed. It would make it difficult for them to redeem themselves and undo the harm of their crimes."

"I guess that makes sense." Jounouchi shrugged. "Honda? What about you?"

"Whatever… Just don't hurt him too bad."

Yami nodded. "Understood." He made a gesture with his hand and Sozoji was lifted from the ground, but still restrained. "Listen Sozoji! As penalty for your sins, you will hear the singing that has caused others great pain, as they heard it, drowning out any and all other sounds." He took a step back and closed his eyes, letting a golden eye open up and glow from his forehead. He outstretched a hand and opened his eyes, letting a light shine through.

Sozoji was then dropped. As he crumpled onto the floor, he clutched at the sides of his head, screaming. He looked up at Yami with tears in his eyes, begging him to make it stop. He grabbed Yami's leg and continued to beg, only to have Yami pull his leg out and turn away.

As Yami exited the room, he wobbled, but continued forward. Honda and Jounouchi looked at Sozoji with a small inkling of pity. "Oh man…" Honda muttered.

Jounouchi turned himself towards the door and began to walk out. "You can't see he didn't deserve it. Come on, let's get outta here."

* * *

As they left the building, the smallest boy wobbled again, but quickly caught himself and stood up.

"Hey, look, Yami…" Honda spoke.

"Sorry, he's asleep right now. Are you guys alright? What happened?" Yuugi asked. His eyes were back to their normal violet hue.

"Don't worry 'bout it, we're fine." Jounouchi smiled. "Can you say thanks to Yami for us? He woke you up before we could."

"You can tell him yourself, actually." Yuugi placed his hand on the puzzle. "I know I say he's asleep, but he's actually more alert than he was before. I really don't have an idea of what else to call it besides sleeping, but it's more than that. Still can't really talk to him though…" Yuugi looked down at the gold. "I hope he gets stronger soon. I suggested writing notes in the past, but he doesn't want to wake up unless something's horribly wrong."

"Yeah, he said something about not wanting to live your life for you when we first met" Jounouchi added.

Yuugi looked up. "What's he like? When he's awake I mean… I can tell he has a good sense of humor, and that he cares about me a lot, but other than that…"

"Yeah, he's got my sense of humor, ya know, nasty shit happening to people who deserve it. He calls you 'his Lord' like I said, but he treated Hanasaki pretty good." Jounouchi paused. "I really don't know much more than that. It's not like we've met socially. He's a good guy who really cares about you and your happiness, and he treats the rest of us fine, but he's reserved. It's weird how formal he acts."

"Oh…" Yuugi kicked a stray pebble. "I wish we could talk more…"

"You will soon." Jounouchi placed a hand on Yuugi's shoulder.

"Uh, guys?" Honda spoke up. "I guess I kinda get what's going on, but… If you guys are messing with me, I'm gonna destroy you."

"How could we fake that?"

"I dunno. Red contacts?" Honda thought. "That doesn't explain the shadows though… You're right… But am I the last guy to find out about this? Does everyone but me know?"

"Nah, I didn't know until Yami was already halfway through saving my ass. Does Anzu know anything?"

"No…" Yuugi answered. "I mean, Honda barely believed it, and he has proof. Anzu would probably ask for evidence, and Yami won't come out unless I'm in trouble… I thought you guys might've thought I was bonkers or something."

"Is he in your head now?" Jounouchi asked. "You said you could sense him when she sleeps."

"Yeah, I sense him all the time, but it doesn't really feel like it's in my head… It's weird… but he feels…" Yuugi closed his eyes" …really satisfied right now, and just happy. He's happy a lot of the time, like everything is perfect. I don't know why though." He opened his eyes again. "I try to ask why, but he only answers with this warm feeling and an image of a bright healing light. It was really terrible in the puzzle before I solved it."

"How do you know? I mean, if you can't talk to him." Honda asked, curious.

"I started feeling him when I finished the puzzle, so I felt him being freed. I can remember… chains. Cold metal chains with spikes. It was so cold… so dark… so when I finished the puzzle, he was so happy. He couldn't believe he was finally free. It's like he never thought he would escape…" Yuugi hugged himself, partially to hug Yami, but also to try and warm himself after experiencing the memory again.

"He told me he owed his life to you, even saying he'd serve you forever." Jounouchi said softly.

Yuugi looked down at the puzzle once more. "Oh…"

* * *

 _As a homage to the original, I'm going to be responding to reviews at the end. That chapter feels almost incomplete without it._

Alice: Wow! This is super amazing! I love it!

 _Thank you so much! Please remember to read the original! This work wouldn't be possible without it._

SilverFire87: I loved the original story and am looking forward to reading your rewrite of it!

 _Once again, thank you so much! I'm actually writing these as I read them. I'm currently on chapter 28 as of writing this one, so I'm honestly super excited about doing the future chapters as well._


	4. Visions (Part 1)

Yuugi tossed and turned in bed. No matter what he did, he couldn't get himself to sleep.

The spirit, feeling his restlessness, sent a wisp of enquiry. Yuugi mentally tried to explain his frustration.

The spirit sent a question.

"What? You can help me sleep?" Yuugi asked. The spirit sent a shrug, unsure, but willing to give it a try. Before Yuugi could respond, he felt a falling sensation as his eyes closed.

* * *

He arrived in the middle of what seemed to be a long, endless corridor. On his right, he found a wall of black marble, and to his left, bright colored blocks. He felt Yami, slightly more awake, but not with him as usual. It felt like he was down the corridor. Yuugi walked towards him, almost drawn to him.

He came across two doors. On his right, the door looked as if made by sandstone, with the eye on his puzzle etched into it. It was shut tight. Without thinking, Yuugi reached for the handle to open it, temporarily forgetting why he walked down the corridor in the first place. What was behind the door.

When his hand touched the cold handle, he was hit with a strong feeling of fear. He took a few steps back, shocked by the sudden overwhelming feeling. "What? Why?"

 _Danger. Horrible place. Unsafe. Look for me. I'm here. Wonderful place._

"Where?" Yuugi spun around. He had no idea where to go. As he asked, he received what felt like a map in his head. Where he came from was labeled "Lord's Body." Th door was labeled "Puzzle. Bad place. Dangerous place. Do not enter!" Finally, just across from it was a room labeled "Lord's Mind. Soft. Bright. Happy."

As Yuugi turned around, he was met with an open door with a bright light shining through the opening. Through the door was a bedroom with colorful toys spread across the floor. Against the wall was a bed similar to Yuugi's in his real bedroom, just as messy as it was in real life. Laying on top of it was a figure that looked similar to him, wearing his school uniform with alterations made. Ankhs seemed attached to the sleeves, and under his unbuttoned top, instead of a white button up, there was a dark leather shirt with what seemed to be belts fastened to it. He wore a leather choker around his neck, almost looking like a collar of sorts.

Yuugi immediately recognized who it was. "Yami!" He quickly ran to the bed and jumped onto it, causing the spirit to bounce a little in his place. Yami sat up and looked at his savior with a sleepy smile. Yuugi noted how he looked slightly older than him, even being taller than him. Or was it that he just held himself more confidently? Yuugi couldn't tell, but he looked really cool!

"Yami! How could I sleep now? I'm way too excited to sleep!" Yuugi bounced up and down on the bed, causing Yami to bounce on the other side of the bed as he tried to sit up. Still bouncing, Yami made hand gestures as he explains, his mouth still not moving to speak.

 _No one in body. Body sleeps._

Yuugi nodded, showing Yami he understood. So he was asleep outside, but awake inside? That was weird, but it made sense! "You're a lot more awake than usual!" Yami nodded.

 _No one in body. More energy. More awake._

"Still not energy to talk thought, huh?" Yuugi sighed. Yami looked at Yuugi with a worried expression and did his best to reassure him.

 _Anticipation! Soon!_

Yuugi perked up immediately. "Really? Soon?" Yuugi made the mental image to hug Yami, but quickly realized Yami was right there beside him, and hugged him for real. Yami shifted in his arms, enjoying the affection.

"I know the body is asleep, but I'm still not, so maybe…" Yuugi thought for a bit. "Maybe… You could look around! You can see my room and stuff! I have a lot of games and toys, so maybe you can play with those. You like games right?" Yami nodded in response.

Yuugi smiled and laid down in bed, pulling the covers over himself. "Good night Yami! Hope you have fun!" As he closed his eyes, he felt a weight on his chest. Placing a hand on what was on his chest, he felt Yami's hair. "How cute…" Yuugi thought to himself. Yami got closer and wrapped his arms around Yuugi.

He soon fell asleep in Yami's arms. Yami hesitantly unwrapped his arms, being careful not to wake his savior. He lifted his head and opened his eyes.

* * *

 _I'm ending the chapter early, because I want to make an extra chapter about Yami's time in the night. The rest of this chapter will go on after the bonus chapter._


	5. Perfection (Bonus Chapter)

Yami sat up in the bed. He felt the blankets under his hands. They felt softer here than they did in Yuugi's mind room. He didn't think anything could be softer than the blanket in the mind room.

 _Well, anything besides savior, anyway_.

He looked at his hands, noticing the sleeves were different than usual. His savior had something different on. He never had the energy to see what Yuugi saw when he was asleep and never saw him in anything other than his uniform.

 _This pale blue suited him._

He softly pushed the blanket off of him and tried his best to make the bed behind him. He didn't do the best job, in fact, it looked messier than before, but to him, he had no concept of what a neat bed looked like, so he smiled to himself, proud that he helped.

Yami looked around Yuugi's room. His savior didn't lie, there were toys and game littered around the room. As he kneeled down to pick up a small barrel with a little figurine inside, he caught a glimpse of a shine next to him. He jumped and readied himself for a conflict, but was only met with a face.

 _A beautiful, perfect face._

He rose again, almost in a trance. The person he saw did the same, following his exact movements. They both moved slow, unsure of what the other would do.

 _A flawless person._

Yami approached the other person, and the other person did the same. As they met, face to face, Yami noticed a glass between them. He reached out to touch it, and so did the other person. They met, palm to palm and pressed firmly against it. The cold made him flinch, but he pressed against it. He had to hold this hand somehow.

Yami then noticed this wasn't a window. It must have been a mirror.

 _This… this is what my savior looked like…_

Yami smiled, looking at his own reflection's smile.

 _This is what my savior's smile looks like…_

He looked into his own eyes, trying to soften his expression to match Yuugi.

 _This is what my savior's eyes look like…_

Every inch of his face was absolutely flawless. Yami almost cursed at himself for blinking. Every blink was a second missed of seeing his savior's face.

In mind rooms, Yuugi's form took on what he saw himself as. Short, soft, weak, helpless, child-like. Yami didn't see this in the reflection. He saw a strong young man. He had such a radiating light from within, and yet his savior never saw it in himself. Removing his hand from the glass, he tried to think of a way to touch his savior through the mirror. He had to touch him somehow. He had to feel the warmth himself. It almost slipped his mind entirely that he could just reach for his own face. As he did, he felt his hand, cold from the mirror, touch his warm skin.

 _This is what my savior feels like…_

The warmth he felt was new. He hadn't felt true warmth like this in his short existence of being free. Why had he never thought of this before?

Seeing his savior. Feeling his savior. It was true bliss.

He hugged himself, looking at his reflection. It looked so lonely, seeing his savior's arms so empty. He should be in those arms. He belongs there. They should never be empty. His savior will always have him. He wouldn't be lonely anymore. Neither of them will be lonely anymore.

 _I won't be lonely anymore…_

He was shocked back into reality as he felt something run down his face. Looking at his reflection, he saw tears running down his savior's face.

 _I made him cry._

Yami abandoned all reason and quickly tried to wipe the tears off the mirror, ignoring his own. He desperately tried to stop his savior's crying, holding back his own sobs.

 _I made him upset._

 _He'll leave me._

 _He can't leave me!_

 _What did I do?_

He was afraid. He didn't know what was wrong, but he tried to fix it however he could. Such a perfect face should never have tears on it, and yet he was the reason why it did. He ruined everything. He kneeled down to apologize, to beg for forgiveness or punishment, anything that he deserved, anything but leaving him or putting him in the puzzle again. Only then did he notice the reflection moving with him and remembered it was a mirror.

He wiped his own tears, ashamed of the way he acted. How dare he show a moment of such weakness when he was meant to protect? He needed to learn how to handle himself better for next time. When he and his savior do finally embrace he'll be ready. He wouldn't cry. Not like this.

Yami looked at the clock by the bed. It was almost time for his savior to get up. Had he really spent so much time looking at the mirror? This wasn't acceptable. His savior would be tired in the morning. He needed to tuck himself in and get at least some sleep for this body. He wiped his face dry and went to the bed, closing his eyes and quickly falling into a dreamless sleep.


	6. Visions (Part 2)

Yuugi's alarm clock rang, but his body stayed still for a while. He suddenly sprang up and rubbed his red eyes, not noticing the sticky feeling of dried tears on his face. He slowly laid back down, being drawn back slowly by the warmth of the sheets. After a small moment, he opened his eyes again.

"Why… Why am I so tired?" Yuugi yawned.

 _Desperate apology!_

Yuugi smiled and held back a laugh. "Why would I be angry? Did you have fun?" Yuugi yawned again. "You must have if you stayed up all night, right? Glad you had fun."

 _Relief._

"You're a lot less alert than you were last night."

 _Need Energy. I sleep. You awake._

"You're saving your energy to help me stay awake? Thank you!" Yuugi smiled and sent a mental hug. It wasn't as nice as the one they shared last night, but Yuugi stil enjoed giving them.

 _Happy!_

Yuugi hurried to get ready.

* * *

The day passed quickly, but Jounouchi felt it wasn't fast enough. He had been dying to hang out with Yuugi, and asked if he wanted to go anywhere to eat after class. Yuugi suggested the new burger restaurant that opened up a few blocks down. Anzu ran pale and hurried across the room. She started spilling stories of people getting sick after eating from there. Midway through her stories, she remembered earlier on the news, there was a story about an escaped convict who was most likely armed and dangerous. She shifted her topic to that, warning Yuugi and Jounouchi to head home instead.

After all that, Anzu walked off, relieved. Jounouchi's eyes followed her. "Hey, Yug. Hasn't Anzu been acting off lately? She always seems to leave right after school." Jounouchi then smirked. "We should follow her. What d'ya say?"

"But… What about the convi-" Yuugi slowed down as Jounouchi looked at his puzzle. "Oh, right." Yuugi lifted the puzzle a little. He worried about Yami still being tired after last night.

"Let's do this!" Jounouchi struck a pose, trying to seem energetic enough to convince Yuugi.

"No way!" Yuugi retorted.

"Think if it like this: If the convict shows up, you and Yami will be there to protect her."

* * *

"Aight! Anyone moves, this bitch dies! Got that?" The convict, dressed as a normal restaurant manager, held his employee Anzu at gunpoint.

Jounouchi and Yuugi had followed her there and were sitting at a nearby table, eating their own burgers as it all happened much too quickly. She had just told them of her dream of saving money to study dance in New York. Now she had a gun at her temple, blindfolded poorly with the convict's tie.

"Told you we should've followed her." Jounouchi whispered. "To think she got a job to save up for New York, only to be caught up in this. Lucky we got here, huh?"

"Anyone can be lucky once." A voice deeper than Yuugi's spoke. Some point between the attack and the threats, Yami had already taken over, calculating how to handle the situation. As he spoke, a smirk creeped on his face, but was soon gone.

Jounouchi chuckled. "So now Anzu gets to meet you. What are you waiting for? Make with the magic!"

Yami looked down, ashamed, "I can't. I don't have the energy today."

"Wha… Why?"

"I woke up last night while my Lord slept, at his suggestion. Unfortunately, I stayed up all night, ad used up too much energy. I don't think I'm going to have enough power to even wake my Lord up again for a few hours. I apologize greatly." His voice was calm, but Jounouchi could see the expression on his face. He felt this was a greatly upset by this.

"What… What did you do?" Jounouchi asked without thinking.

"I was looking at my Lord. I had never been able to see him before." Yami showed a faint smile at the memory before quickly going back to his cold expression

"That's all? All night?" Jounouchi seemed confused. How long could that take? Yami was quick to defend himself. "And thinking."

Jounouchi sighed and looked back over to his friend in the convict's arms. "I guess it can't be helped. What are we gonna do? Anzu's in trouble."

Yami smirked, holding back a chuckle. "Watch and learn." Jounouchi noted the language. That felt… almost like a bet. Was Yami opening up to him?

While they had been talking, the convict had a helpless kid bring him vodka and a pack of Lucky Strike brand cigarettes. He laughed at the cigarettes, saying he chose the brand to reflect how lucky he was. As he laughed, Yami sood up and walked over, confidence in every stride, to the criminal's booth.

"Hey! Who said you could move?" The convict swung his gun hand in Yami's direction, not like anyone could see. Tables and chairs had been thrown around by the customers to hide and protect themselves.

Yami smiled and sat down. "You're lucky, right? Want to press your lucky further?"

The convict clenched his teeth and looked at the twerp before him. "What'dya mean kid?"

"Since you're so lucky, I thought you might want a game. What do you have to lose?" Yami leaned back in his seat and crossed his legs.

A scoff from the convict. "What's in it for me?"

"An escape, obviously. Even with your luck, you couldn't evade all the cops outside." Yami pointed to the police outside. "I can help with that."

The convict rolled his eyes. "Sure, you look like you got connections." Sarcasm was clear in his voice. No matter, he thought. He could always use this kid as a human shield or another hostage. "What's in it for you?" He placed the gun back to Anzu's head, pressing the barrel against her temple. She whimpered, but didn't dare say anything.

"I get you, and all these damned cops out of my hair." Yami opened the bottle of vodka and handed it to the convict, giving it to the hand that was holding Anzu close to him. "Here, pour some. It'll be fun." He then pushed the glass nearer to the hand, making it easier to pour for him.

Anzu choked up at the scent of alcohol, but she quickly regulated her breathing. "Who is this person?" She tried to do her best to see through her blindfold, but couldn't see anything more than a silhouette. She almost didn't want to see who it was. He terrified her, and couldn't tell who was a bigger threat to her.

The convict began to pour the alcohol. "Why even play a game?"

"Simple," Yami chuckled. "I'm bored."

"Bored? In a hostage situation?"

"Yes. This hostage situation bored me. I wanted to raise the stakes. Nothing like death hanging over you to get blood pumping, right?" Yami switched the crossing of his legs and crossed his arms over his chest.

The convict laughed. "You! I like the way you talk kid, you're a riot! Alright, you're on. What's the game?"

Yami opened the cigarette pack and handed the convict a cigarette, holding it to his lips. The convict took it easily, keeping it in his mouth. "Rules are easy. We choose single finger on one hand. With that one finger, we try to do the most damage to each other. So, with that," Yami sat up and placed his elbow on the table, leaning in close to the convict. "Which finger do you choose?"

The convict played with the weight of his gun. "My trigger finger, obviously. You?"

"I pick my thumb." Yami picked up a lighter and opened the lid. "Want me to light your cigarette?"

"Sure. I'll shoot that thumb off after you're done." The convict leaned in, letting Yami light the cigarette.

"Game Start" Yami chuckled, dropping the lighter on the hand the convict was using to pour his alcohol. It landed perfectly, staying lit and balanced. "And Game Over."

The convict's eyes went wide as the alcohol, which had begun to spill over the glass rim, began to puddle and spill over onto his lap.

"Best you don't move. If you shot that gun, the recoil would cause the lighter to fall into that vodka." Yami skillfully pulled Anzu out of the criminal's arms.

"Sh… Shit!" The convict cursed. As his mouth opened, the lit cigarette fell into the table, causing the convict to go up in flames.

Jounouchi quickly stood up and pulled Yami and Anzu away from the fire. "Come on, we better get out of here."

* * *

Anzu made her way to her friends after being interviewed by the police. "Ugh… I need to appear in court now… I've never been so scared in my life! It all turned out okay, I guess, except for…" Anzu trailed off, remembering the convict and the fire. "Anyway, the problem is, the cops are going to tell the school that I had a job if I don't quit. I'm going to have to find another way to make it to New York now…" Anzu looked down, but quickly looked back up and smiled. "I'm just glad we all made it out of the restaurant!"

She smiled, and Jounouchi smiled back, but she noticed Yuugi hadn't so much as looked at her this whole time. "Yuugi? Are you alright? You haven't said a word." She studied his face the best she could from the angle he was giving her. "You look off."

"Eh… Anzu…" Jounouchi scratched his head as he searched for a way to explain. "That's not Yug."

"What do you mean? That's definitely Yuu-" She trailed off as she looked into his eyes. The bright red that looked back at her didn't look like Yuugi. She noted his posture and his expression. It looked so much like Yuugi, but yet, nothing like him at the same time.

"I apologize Ms. Mazaki. I should have introduced myself." Yami bowed. "My name is Yami. It's a pleasure to meet you."

Anzu stood still, in shock. She recognized that voice. That was the man, or she guessed boy now, that stood up to her captor. The boy who rescued her.

The boy who set a man on fire in cold blood. The boy who sent a grown man to the emergency room. They say he might not make it to the end of the week. If he dies, this boy was responsible for it all. This boy will be a killer.

She swallowed the lump in her throat as she tried to find the words she needed. She didn't want to upset him, or rather, bring his wrath upon her. "So… You aren't Yuugi, you're Yami?"

"He's sort of a guardian spirit or something." Jounouchi explained. Anzu blinked. What kind of guardian spirit would harm another being so terribly? "He got freed when Yuugi solved that puzzle of his. He's saved my ass a few times, and even saved Honda and Hanazaki. He's a good guy, even if he doesn't look much like it." Jououchi noticed Anzu's body language and stopped talking.

Anzu remembered the puzzle pieces. She remembered Yuugi's grandfather and what he said aout the puzzle. It granted the Power and Knowledge of Darkness. She went over the word "darkness" a few times in her head, remembering the body count behind the puzzle's discovery. She gasped softly, and turned to Yami. "Where's Yuugi?" She didn't bother to hide her worry. Her best friend was in danger.

"He is within me." Yami placed a hand on his chest. "It is still his body, it merely alters itself to fit me and the puzzle."

"Can… Can I talk to him?" Anzu took a step forward, but then took another one back. She was afraid of him. What was he doing to her best friend?

The spirit bowed his head in shame. Jounouchi sighed. "That's the problem." Jounouchi pointed to Yami. "This guy stayed up all night and now doesn't have the energy to switch Yug back out. If he had more energy, that situation would have been dealt with a lot quicker, I'll tell you that. Don't worry though, Yug will come back. He always comes back. Yami has this think about not living Yug's life for him or whatever." Anzu didn't know how Jounouchi could be so calm about this.

"Speaking of which, Yami, when will you be able to switch back?"

"By this evening, if I go to sleep and recover. I should return to my Lord's home soon. I'm sure my Lord will contact you when he returns. I'll be on my way. Goodbye Mr. Jounouchi, Ms. Mazaki." Yami bowed and turned to make his way home.

"Wait up! Do you even know your way home? I'll take you. Anzu?" Jounouchi offered.

"Of course!" Anzu agreed. She didn't want to let Yami out of her sight.

Yami paused and turned around. He looked directly to Anzu, causing her to flinch. "Why?"

"Why? 'Cause we're friends! That's what friends do, right Anzu?"

Anzu didn't speak.

"That may be somewhat true for you Mr. Jounouchi, but Ms. Mazaki does not trust me. Do you, Ms. Mazaki?"

Anzu looked down and nodded. She gritted her teeth, a bit upset that he was able to read her so easily.

"I do not blame you. Neither do Mr. Jounouchi or Mr. Honda, truely. You do not know me, and you see me as a threat to your friend. However," Yami looked at Jounouchi and Anzu. "I am not upset. I respect your concern for my Lord. I honor you and regard you as allies. I hope to, one day, have your trust, but as long as my Lord is happy, I am content."

Yami looked at his puzzle. He didn't know why, but he couldn't make eye contact with the two as he spoke. "Your friendship makes my Lord very happy." Much like Yuugi, he ran his hands over the details. "Thank you for caring for him."

He let go of the puzzle, feeling the weight of it hit his chest. "As for your offer, it is appreciated. I do know my way, but if any danger were to arise, I would not be able to defend myself." He bowed. "Thank you for your aid."

Jounouchi and Anzu looked at each other before walking with Yami. Both of them thought to themselves "He's helped us, but I don't know if I can trust him."

* * *

 _This chapter was fun to write. I loved adding small details and filling in gaps that may have been lost in the original work._

 _I try to update every Tuesday and Thursday, but college makes that a bit difficult, so if I miss a day, please understand! I am working!_

 _I do look forward to answering your reviews and comments as well, so don't be shy in posting. Little things make this all the more fun._


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